Skip to Main Content

Referencing Toolkit

How to Reference

Basic Format to Reference Personal Communications

Format for footnotes for personal communications:

  • Personal communications may include primary sources such as letters, memos, emails, tweets, faxes, interviews, informal conversations and telephone calls.
  • As a rule in your essay use only print or electronic communications that are easily accessible to the reader.
  • In your Reference List, the author's initials come after the surname and the full range of the article's pages are added, see examples below.

Example:

1 S. Alexander, 'Peace March in Melbourne' [letter to W.R. Gibson], 1 November 1911, Professor W.R. Gibson Collection, University of Melbourne Archives, Melbourne, VIC, Box 2/1/1.

Personal communications reference example

Examples

Printable Handout

Citation Examples

Material Type

Footnote examples

Reference list examples

Interview

1 J. E. Maloney, 'Recollections of Canberra' [interviewed by John Ferrell], 12 August 1991, John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library, Curtin University, Perth, WA, JCMPL00897/3.

The number at the end of the citation is the Library or Archive series or box number.]

Maloney, J.E., 'Recollections of Canberra' [interviewed by John Ferrell], 12 August 1991, John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library, Curtin University, Perth, WA, JCMPL00897/3.

Letter or Correspondence

1S. Alexander, 'Peace March in Melbourne' [letter to W.R. Gibson], 1 November 1911, Professor W.R. Gibson Collection, University of Melbourne Archives, Melbourne, VIC, Box 2/1/1.

Use this format for correspondence accessible from Archives. Add the URL and date accessed if it is available online.]

Alexander, S., 'Peace March in Melbourne' [letter to W.R. Gibson], 1 November 1911, Professor W.R. Gibson Collection, University of Melbourne Archives, Melbourne, VIC, Box 2/1/1.

Email

1 R.M. Davison, 'Re: Removal of Union Signage' [email to H.S. Gardin], 1 August 2008, http:www.rdavidson.org.au/letters/2008/8/1.pdf, (accessed 3 March 2011).

Davison, R.M., 'Re: Removal of Union Signage' [email to H.S. Gardin], 1 August 2008, http:www.rdavidson.org.au/letters/2008/8/1.pdf, (accessed 3 March 2011).